1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a binder for an electrode of a lithium battery, and a lithium battery containing the binder.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Lithium secondary batteries used in portable electronic devices for information communication, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and laptops, electric bicycles, and electric cars show at least a double discharge voltage compared to other batteries, and thus may show high energy density.
A lithium secondary battery includes an organic electrolyte solution or polymer electrolyte solution charged between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, which include an active material capable of intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, and generates electric energy according to oxidation and reduction reactions during intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ions in the positive electrode and negative electrode.
A positive electrode active material of a lithium secondary battery may be an oxide comprising lithium and a transition metal and having a structure capable of intercalation of lithium ions, such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), and lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (Li[NiCoMn]O2 or Li[Ni1-x-yCoxMy]O2).
Carbon-based materials of various shapes including artificial or natural graphite or hard carbon, and non carbon-based materials, such as Si, which are capable of intercalation/deintercalation of lithium, are being studied as a negative electrode active material.
The non carbon-based materials may have very high capacity since capacity density to graphite is 10 times or above, but it is difficult to realize desired capacity with the non carbon-based materials due to very high volume expansion and contraction while charging and discharging lithium compared to the carbon-based materials.
Accordingly, studies are actively performed to improve characteristics of not only the high capacity materials, but also each element forming a lithium battery, such as a positive electrode active material, an electrolyte, a separator, and a binder.